Special report: Pakistani Situation

 

This TV footage shows incumbent Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf takes oath as civilian president for another five-year term. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    ISLAMABAD, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Incumbent Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf took oath as a civilian president at a ceremony in Islamabad Thursday, one day after he gave up the post of army chief.

    Musharraf took the seat at the center of a hall along with Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar at the ceremony at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, or presidential house, which witnessed a gathering of hundreds of VIPs.

    "I, Pervez Musharraf, do solemnly swear that ... as President of Pakistan, I will discharge my duties, and perform my functions, honestly, to the best of my ability ...," Musharraf said as the chief justice, sitting between two national flags, administered the oath.

    The 64-year-old retired general also delivered his first speech as a civilian president shortly after signing the oath papers, saying that the last two or three days had been emotional for him.

    "I have given up my military post after 46 years in uniform," he said, referring to his resignation as chief of army staff on the previous day.

    Musharraf joined the Pakistan Military Academy in 1961 at the age of 18 and rose through military ranks to major general in 1991.He became the chief of army staff in 1998, thus taking over the command of the army.

    Musharraf was somehow forced to stage a bloodless coup that displaced the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif and took the reins of the country as chief executive in October 1999. He first assumed presidency in 2001, which was later confirmed in a 2002 referendum that give him a five-year term.

    Musharraf was re-elected in presidential polls on Oct. 6 this year and, as he had previously pledged, resigned as army chief and handed over the military command to succeeding army chief General Ashafaq Parvez Kayani.

    "I believe Pakistan will go stronger with me as a civilian president and General Kayani as the chief of army staff," Musharraf said Thursday.

    The officially retired general said he was breaking the convention in pushing for Pakistan's transition from military to civilian presidency.

    "My taking oath as civilian president is a milestone in the transition to democracy," he told the gathering at the ceremony that included caretaker Prime Minister Mohammadmian Soomro and his cabinet, former prime minister Shaukat Aziz, services chiefs, provincial governors and caretaker chief ministers, judges, diplomats, religious personalities and officials.

    Musharraf defended the Nov. 3 imposition of state of emergency as an "extraordinary measure" in the interest of the nation, citing militancy in the country's northwest and worsening law and order situation then.

    He noted the economic turnaround of Pakistan in the recent several years and said the nation was "coming out of the storm" and that "the process of derailment of democracy has been checked."

    He further said he personally believes the return of the exiled opposition leaders and former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto was good for political reconciliation in Pakistan, while making it clear that parliamentary elections were to be held as scheduled despite any boycott.

    "There is no going back. There is no change," he said.

    The opposition, including Bhutto's and Sharif's parties, were still considering the option of boycotting the elections, although they have both allowed party members to follow them to file nomination papers.

Pakistan confirms Musharraf's resignation as army chief

Pakistan's President and army chief Pervez Musharraf (L) passes the baton of command over to General Ashfaq Kayani during a ceremony at army headquarters in Rawalpindi November 28, 2007.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    ISLAMABAD, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan's Ministry of Defense issued an official notification on Wednesday, confirming the resignation of President Pervez Musharraf as army chief.

    The notification said, "On relinquishment of Chief of Army Staff, General Pervez Musharraf shall stand retired with effect from Nov. 28, 2007." Full story

Musharraf steps down from post of army chief

Pakistani new army chief General Ashfaq Kiyani (R) watches President General Pervez Musharraf deliver his speech during a change of command ceremony in Rawalpindi, Nov. 28, 2007. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    ISLAMABAD, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf stepped down from his post of army chief on Wednesday and handed over the command to the vice chief of Army Staff.

    Musharraf, clad in uniform, inspected a guard of honor at a ceremony attended by military and political VIPs at the army general headquarters in Rawalpindi, a garrison city 30 km south of the capital Islamabad. Full story

U.S. welcomes Musharraf's move to step down as military chief

    WASHINGTON, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- The United States welcomed on Wednesday Pakistani President Musharraf's decision to step down as a military chief.

    "This is a good first step," Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said during an interview with ABC television after 64 year-old Musharraf quit as the country's military leader to be sworn in as a civilian president. Full sotry

Musharraf pays farewell visits to military headquarters

    ISLAMABAD, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf began a round of farewell visits to various military headquarters Tuesday, one day ahead of the fixed date for him to resign military post.

    The 64-year-old general, clad in military uniform, visited the Joint Staff Headquarters in the morning in the military nerve center Rawalpindi, 30 kilometers south of Islamabad, to meet with military leaders, including General Tariq Majid, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff committee. Full story

Musharraf to take oath for 2nd term as president on Nov. 29

    ISLAMABAD, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Incumbent Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf will take oath as a civilian president for the next 5-year term on Nov. 29, the president's spokesman Major General Rashid Qureshi said on Monday.

    Musharraf will pay his last visit as the army chief to the General Headquarters in the garrison city Rawalpindi on Wednesday to make a farewell call on the commanders and to thank them for their support, according to local press reports.  Full story